Tube-winding machine



July 6, 1926.

Fffiled Nov. .5, 1921 G. S. CLARK TUBE WINDING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ufa 1a G. S. CLARK TUBE WINDING MACHINE 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 aw/W1 Filed Nov. 5. 1921' July 6 1926. 1,591,658

G. s. CLARK TUBE WINDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5, 1921 v Sheets-Sheet a 1 July 6,1926.

1,591,658 G- S. CLARK.

TUBE WINDING MACHINE 7 She gais Shee? 6 G. s. CLARK TUBE WINDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5. 1921 gwue'nl'oz ESE/ark M m d 1 July 6 July' 6 1926. 1,591,658

G. s. CLARK TUBE WINDING MACHINE Filed Nov. 5, 1921 7 Shgets-Sheet v- Patented July 6, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE SHERMAN CLARK, OF HUNTING-TON, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNGE TO CLARK PATENT TUBING- CO., OF WHEELIIQ'G, vJ EST VIRGINIA, A. CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

TUBE-VIINIDiNG MACHINE.

Application filed November 3, 1921.

In the industrial arts tubes formed from strips or ribbons of paper and analogous cheap and flexible material are meeting with a demand, particularly in the mining industry where explosive cartridges are required for loosening strata and removing obstructions.

The present invention provides a machine which takes flexible strip material, such as these blasting tubes, forms the tube or other material into a package of predetermined size, severs the tube and delivers it, all in one cycle of operation, the several steps being entirely automatic.

While the drawings illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, as particularly applied to the packaging of blasting tubes, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the form shown but may be otherwise embodied or applied to the packaging of other material without departing from the nature of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the present preferred embodiment of the invention- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying my invention and showing the manner of feeding strip material thereto;

Figure 2 is a top plan view, to enlarged Slfflle, of the packaging apparatus shown at the left hand part of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure 2;

Figure a is an end view of the same;

Figure 5 is a vertical section on the line 5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a vertical section on the line Vl-VI of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a vertical section on the line r'll-VII of Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a vertical section on the line VHI-VIII of Figure 2;

Figure 9 is a section on the line IX-IX of Figur 4;

Figure 10 is a detail view showing the mechanism for throwing the ejecting mechanism out of action;

Figure 11 is a partial View showing the clutch employed for controlling the supply means, and

Figure 12 is a partial View showing the manner of controlling the shearing mechanlsm.

Serial No. 512,488.

Qorrcsponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and desig nated in the several views of the drawings by like reference characters.

inc operating mechanism 18 mounted upon a suitable framework which. in the present instance, is shown as comprising a base 1 and a table at. Suitable uprights connect the table with the'base l and mav be braced and stayed in any determinate ivav. A motor 5, preferably of the electric type, s provided for operating the working parts For convenience, the motor 5 is mounted upon the framework. A countershaft G. mounted upon the framework, receives mo tion direct from the motor 5 by means of a drive belt "I. A transverse shaft 8 derives motion from the countershaft (5 by means of a drive belt 9.

A plurality of pairs of compressing and feed rolls are mounted upon the table l and are designated by the letters A, B and C. respectively. These pairs of rolls are mounted alike, the rolls of each pair being relativelv adjustable. Each pair of rolls is mounted in standards 10, which are vertically slotted, as indicated at ll, to receive bearings 12 and 13, the bearing 1 being adjustable by means of a set screw l l, which is threaded into 'the upper end of the standard it). The rolls are preferably hollow and are mounted upon shafts 15 which project and are onnected at corresponding ends by means of spur gearing 16. A drive chain Til connects a sprocket 51 driven from the shaft 8 with the lower roll of the pair A, thus driving the feed rolls at suitable speed. A drive chain 17 connects corresponding rolls of the pairs A and B. A drive chain 18 connects corrcspr'niding rolls of the pairs l3 and G. A drive belt 19 connects one of the rolls of the pair C with the tube forming mechanism not shown) supplying the pack aging machine forming the present inven tion.

It should be stated that the machine may of any capacity with reference to the number of tubes package-d at the same time. The machine illustrated is adapted to package two tubes at a single operation, and one mechanism is a duplicate of the other, hence a detailed description of one will sutiice for a clear understanding of both, and the n umher of mechanisms iay vary according to the required output of the machine as a whole. or other material to be .e supplied from any desired wn). The machin is parrated for tie packaging of fiid at the right hand-side of I aiown a mechanism 20 receiving tubing El and a damp sealing strip 22, the mecl'ianism 20 being effective for pressing the scaling strip against the tubing to produce a s aled blasting tube 21. This tube is fed thr 1511 the rolls C, B and A, thus I compressing the tube, insuring the ienc-c oi the strio to the tube bed and finally supplying the tube to the ng mechanism which w-i'll now be de- Jed in detail.

transverse shaft 47, paralleling the shart 8, "c erives motion therefrom through the Ynstruinentaliity of a shaft l8, bevel-gearing -19 between the shafts 8 ail-c148, and worm gearing 50: between the shafts 47 and i8. DrumstiQ, and are fast to the shaft at? and rotate therewith. The drums- 52 and 54: are provided with cams 52 and 54, respectirel which are set one in advance of the other. A lever 55, pivoted intermediate its ends, cooperates with tllE'CEIQlS of the respective drums 52 and 54. The two ejector mecnanisms are complementary duplicates of each other and a descuption of one will serve to explain the operation of each. A shaft 56 is provided with a sleeve 56, and this sleeve has a sprocket 57 loosely mounted thereon. The sprocket 57 drives the sleeve 56 through a spring 56 thus providing a slip gear drive. A drive chain 58 connects the sprocket with a companion sprocket 57 fast to the shaft 8. A clutch member 59, rotatable with the shaft 56 and movable longitudinally thereon, is in clutch engagement with the sleeve 56" and is normally held in operative position by means oi"? an expansible helical spring 60 mounted on the outer portion of the shatt 56. The lever engages the clutch member 59 and when actuated by the cooperating cam 52 or ar disengages the clutch member 59 from the sprocket 57, and at this time the tube is severed and the package ejected. The shaft 56 is provided at its inner end with a head 61 from'which project pins 62. The tube is wrapped about the pins 62 to form a package of predetermined size. After'the package has been wound to substantially the desired size the tubing is severed, but the winding heads continue their rotation to cause winding of the severed end portion. desired, the operator may pl ce his hand on the rotating package at this time and when the winding has been finished manually attach a sticker to prevent unwrapping. The finished package is discharged by means of an ejector or stripper vt) is formed with an annular groove in which '3 O is titteda strap 65. Guide members and 67 slidably support crossheads 68, each hav ing, connectlon with the respective straps 5.

Each crosshead 68 is provided with a projection dis-posed to cooperate with came 7 and 7 2 mounted on drum 70. select inward movement of the crossheads 68 to strip the package from the pins, and the corresponding cam 72 returns the cross head 68 to normal position after a packh-as' been discharged. Expansible helical springs 78 are mounted uponthe member and subserve the purpose of bumpers to suetain the impact of the inward movement of the crossheads-68- and to assist materially in the initial return of the crossheads to normal position. The cams for one stripper are placed ahead of the other pair. The corresponding return cams '72- similarly posed.

Consequently when the w" heads are stopped, a-package dischz from one head out of turn-with the other head. This successive discl clogging and simplifies matters for the op ator. A sprocket'T l is fast to an end portion of the shatt"7-5 upon which drums are mounted. A drive chain 76 connects the sprocket 74 witha sprocket 77 la. t to the shat-t8. In: this manner, the-package ejee ing mechanism derives motion from the shaft 8. A clutch member 78, mounted upon an end portion of the shaft 7-5 to rotate therewith, is normally urged into clutch engagement with the sprocket 7% by me? sot an ex pansible helical spring 79. A projection 80. on the clutch member 7 8, is normally engaged by the inclined or camend of alever 81, whereby=to held the shaft out of gear during the action of the package ejecting niechanisn'i. A pin 82, projecting laterally from the lowerend of the lever adapt ed to ride upon a cam 83 carried by the drum 52. When the pin 82 rides upon the cam 83, the upper end of the lever 81 ismoved to clear the projectionSO-and at this time. the spring 79 moves the member 7 8 into clutch engagement with the sprocket 7 4-, whereby the shaft 75 is rotated and the two cams7l, being one in advance of the other, more the cr heads 68 to successively ejectthe packages, the movement-being ol 'such duration as to ca'rrythecrossheads 68 inw d and then return them to normal position and at this instant the'pin'SQ, clears the cam 83, thereby permitting the'lever 81 to assume a normal position, whereby the projection 80 rides upon its cam endand disconnects the clutch member 78 fiOI-ll the sprocket 74: thereby throwing the ejecting or stripper mechanism out of action. An expansible helical spring 84 normally holds the lever 81 in predetermined position.

The cutting mechanism is disposed between the last set of compressing and teed rolls A and the oackage former, and comprises a fixed cutter 85 and movable cutters 86, the latter being preferably pivoted. A bracket 8?, secured to the table 4, supports the cutting mechanism. The cutters 86 operate between guides 88 and 89, the latter being disposed above the fixed cutter 85 and consisting of an L-bar, the horizontal wing of which is spaced from the cutter 85 to pro vide a passage for the tube. A plate 90, in line with the cutter 85, extends into the space formed between the rolls of the pair A and supports and gives proper direction to the tube on its way to the cutting mechanism. The cutter actuating mechanisms are duplicates 01 one another and a description of one will suflice as an explanation for both. A rod 91, connected with the outer end of the cutter 86, is pivoted at its lower end to an arm 92 which is fulcrumed at 93. A contractile helical spring 94 has connection at oneal extension 96 disposed to ride upon a cam 97 fast to the shaft 4?, whereby to hold the cutter 86 spaced from the cutter to admit of the passage of the tube between the cutters to the package forming mechanism. The cam 97 is formed with a notch 98 which is so disposed as to eFeot operation of the cutting mechanism to sever the tube when a package has been formed. lVhen the notch 98 registers with the lateral extension 96, the latter drops therein and admits or the cutter 86 operating by the action of the spring The action of the cutting mechanism is momentary, the cutter 8- moving across the path of the tube and severing the same and instantly returning to normal position by the lateral extension 96 riding out of the notch 98 and engaging the circular face of the cam 97.

Just prior to this cutting movement the cam 53 on the drum 53 actuates a lever 52-3 which lever controls a clutch through which the sprocket 51 is driven (see Figures i and 11). As above described, the sprocket 51 is connected by a drive chain 51 with the lower roll of the pair of feed rolls A so that the disengagement of the clutch 53 immediately stops the forward movement of the tubing, since the sprocket 51 is driven from the shaft 8 solely through this clutch mechanism. The forward movementof the tubing having now ceased, the winding heads no longer rotate, but the sprockets 57 slip on the sleeves 56. As soon as the severing or" the tubes is accomplished the heads again rotate to complete the winding of the severed tubes. The cams 52 and 5% then disengage the clutch members 59 to stop the winding heads and the packages are discharged successively from the heads by the action of the cams 71.

The disengagement oi the clutch members 59, of course, brings the winding heads to a stop and they remain stationary until the leading end of the tubing is supplied by the feed rolls. The clutch members 59 then again engaged and the winding continues until the clutch 56 is actuated as above described, at which time the winding stops and the sprockets 57 again slip on the sleeve 59 as above described. To prevent overthrow of the package former and insure the pins 62 occupying a relatively vertical position so l at the end of the tube may pass thercbetween preliminary to the next operation of the package forming mechanism, stop devices 99 and 100 are provided. The part 99 consists of a fixed rod attached to a convenient part of the machine, and the part 100 consists of a stop projecting outwardly from the clutch member 59. lVhen the clutch member 59 is moved outwardly said stop 100 extends across the path or the part 99, thereby bringing the shaft 56 to rest in a predetermined position, that is, with the pins 62 the one above the other in vertical position, as indicated most clearly in Figure 6.

After the upper strip 21 has been threaded through the tube forming apparatus, and with the adhesive strip 22 has been carried through the feed rolls A, B and C, the ma chine is ready to operate. It is started up just after having been turned beyond the point where the strippers 68 have been actuated, at which time the winding heads are stationary with the pins 62 in vertical relation. The timing of the cams is such that the feed rolls are put in motion before the winding heads, and a strip of tubing projected between the pins of each head from the feed rolls A before the heads commence to rotate. As they are rotated.v the pins of each head. wrap the projectin portion of the tube upon itself and commence to form a package of the form shown in my copeuding application Serial No. 535643, filed ruary l0,

The wrapping or" the tube continues for a period determined by the speed ratio of the winding shaft to the cam shaft, and it will be apparent that this speed ratio, together with the spacing of the pins 62, predetermines the size of the package which will be formed.

After a package has been formed, the winding head and the feed rolls sto as above set forth, while the movable knife 86 severs the tube. As soon as the tube is severed, the winding head again rotates to wind the severed end portion of the tube on to the package. The stopping of the head for out ting naturally follows from the stopping of the feed rolls, since the head is driven through a friction clutch, and as soonas the load is relieved by the severing of the tube, the head immediately rotates until the positive clutch has been thrown out of engagement prior to the stripping of the completed package "from the head.

It should be particularly noted that since the package is wound upon spaced apart members and takes a noncircular shape, the tubing, after it leaves the feed rolls A and before it reaches the package, is continuously oscillating. For this reason, the shearing" knife is placed in'in'iediately adjacent the teed rolls r to prevent interference.

il hat. is claimed is:

1. Package forming apparatus for strip i'naterial including a rotatable winding head having I a pair of spacer. apart men'ibers, means for projecting therehetween the end of the material to be wound whereby the end of the n'iaterial will be held by the head on rotation thereof, means for rotatin the head to wind the material upon itself a l n :1

pi ge, means for throwing the winding means at or operation-after a predeternnned period, and means tor sliding the pdclfllgd endwise oi"? the spaced apart members and laterally of the materia supply.

2. Package forming apparatus for strip material including a rotatable winding head having a pair of spaced apart members, means for supplying materialto the winding head, said means being adapted to projectbetween the spaced apart members the end oi? the mater'al to be wound, means for rotating the head to wind the inaterial upon itself, means for severing the wound rial from the supply means, anl means ror stripping the severed package from the spaced apart members.

3. Pa'kao'e forming apparatus tor strip w material in :ludiug a rotatable winding head having a pair of spaced apart nremljiers.

nplying material to the windmeans for i k ing head, d means being etlective for pro-- jei'ting between the spaced apart members the end oi the material to be wound, mea for rotating the head to wind the material upon itself and form a package, means for stopping the winding head after a predetermined period, means -for severing the wound material from the supply means after the winding head has been stopped, and means for further rotating the winding head to wind the severed end portion of the material onto the package.

l. Package forming apparatus for strip material including a rotatable winding head having a pair of spaced-apart members, supply mea'nsfor feeding material to the winding head, means for rotating the head,- means lor stopping the supply ieans,-n1eans tor stopping the head with one of the spaced apart members on either side of the pat-hot the material fed from the supply means, the supply means being adapted to project between the spaced apart members the end or" the m,.terial to be'wound, and means for throwing the supply means into operation before the winding read is rotated. Packa e formin apparatus for strip material including a rotatable winding head havinga pi "r of spaced apart members, supply means for feeding inateria'l to the which ing head, means torrotating the head a predetermined period, means for se -eri-jng the iz'ia'terial, means for continuing the rotaion or the head to wind the severed end rti'on of the material, means for stopping 1e head with one of the spaced apart memon either side of the path of the mate- 1 fed from the supply mea s, 1516251113 501" i ing the package from the spacedapart hers, and means for throwing the sup eans into opera ion before rotation 01? i d, the supply means being adapted to beta d of the material to he wound. ii. Ea 3521116 forming apparatus for strip material including a rotatable winding head, means for supplying tubing thereto, liliitllSlOl rotating the heat to'wind the tub- 'ng upon itse'li and term a package, means for throwing the windinghead out of operation, means for severing the tubing'from the supply means, means for further rotating the winding head to wind the severed end port-ion or the tubing ontothe )acka'ge, and means for sliding the severed package la ter ally o the material supply to permit the starting or another package.

7. Package forming apparatus for strip material, including a fixed supply means, a rotatable winding head spaced therefrom, the head being adapted to form a non-circular package, whereby the material being wound and lying between the supply means and the winding head is vibrated laterally during the winding operation, and means for severing the material, the severing means being adjacent the supply means, whereby the severing occurs at a point where the vibration of the material is sub stanially a minimum. 7

8. Package forming apparatus for strip material including a rotatable winding head, means for supplying material thereto, means for rotating the winding head, and means for stopping the supply means after a predetermined period, the rotating means for the winding head being adapted to slip when the supply means is stopped and means for severingthe material.

'9. Package "forming apparatus torstrip material including a rotatable winding head, means for supplying material thereto,

reen the spaced apartmembers means for rotating the winding head, means for stopping the supply means after apredetermined period, the rotating means for the winding head being adapted to slip when the supply means is stopped, and means for severing the material.

10. Package forming apparatus for strip material including a rotatable winding head adapted to form a non-circular package, means for supplying material thereto, means for rotating the winding head, means tor stopping the supply means after a predetermined period, the rotating means for the winding head being adapted to slip when the supply means is stopped, and means adjacent the supply means for severing the material. 7

11. Package forming apparatus for strip material including a rotatable winding head, means for supplying material thereto, means for rotating the winding head, means for stopping the supply means after a pre determined period, and means spaced from the Winding head for severing the material, the rotating means for the winding head being adapted to slip when the supply means is stopped and to wind the end of the strip material when the same is severed from the material supply.

12. Package forming apparatus for strip material including a plurality of Winding heads, means for substantially simultaneously feeding material thereto, means for substantially simultaneously rotating the same to form package on each head, means for substantially simulaneously stopping the feeding means, means for severing the material supply adjacent the feeding means, the heads being adapted to remain stationary from the time the feeding means is stopped until the material is severed, and also being adapted to wind the severed end portions onto the package, and means for successively discharging the packages from the heads.

13. Package forming apparatus for strip material including a pair of oppositely disposed winding heads, feeding means adapt ed to supply material to both heads, means for rotating the heads, means for stopping the feeding means after a predetermined time, and means for successively discharging the packages toward a common point he ween the heads.

1%. l ackage forming apparatus for strip material including a pair of oppositely disposed winding heads, feeding means adapted to supply material to both heads, means for rotating the heads, means for stopping the feeding means after a predetermined time, means for severing the packaged material from the material supply, the heads being adapted to wind the sever d end portions of the material onto the package, and means for successively discharging the packages toward a common point between the heads.

15. Package forming apparatus for strip material including a pair of oppositely disposed winding heads, feeding means adapted to supp y material to both heads, means for rotating the heads, means for stopping the feeding means after a predetermined time, and means for successively discharging the packages toward a common point between the heads, the winding heads being friction ally driven.

In testlnony whereof I afiirr my signature.

SHERMAN CLARK. 

